


Virgil's Graveyard

by TheSerpentGamer



Series: Non Tickle Fics [14]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Abusive Deceit Sanders, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cemetery, Death, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:41:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22238026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSerpentGamer/pseuds/TheSerpentGamer
Summary: PrinxietySummary: Virgil finds solace from his life in the maidstone cemetery, the graveyard he watches over and where his brother remy is buried. soulmate au where everyone has a soultat that glows when their soulmate is nearbyTRIGGER WARNINGS: abuse, drinking, family death, cemeteries, death, unsympathetic deceit, car crash, suicidal implications etc.i really wanna know what yall think of this one cause its got a different style to it, i also teared up writing this
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Prinxiety
Series: Non Tickle Fics [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1534802
Comments: 9
Kudos: 195





	Virgil's Graveyard

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Virgil slowly let his breath leave him as the cold autumn air nipped at his fingers. Shrouded in darkness with only the full moon’s light to show his path, Virgil walked upon the cracked stones leading into the graveyard.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Virgil’s ears were still ringing from his father’s drunken screaming. 

Virgil should have expected it. Ever since his brother Remy passed, his dad took to beer to drown the anguish.

And the beer let loose his storm of hatred and guilt, which he in turn poured onto his other son.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

The hurls of insults and blame faded in his mind while the sound of whistling wind and tossing leaves caressed his ears.

The old metal gateway creaking and swaying in the wind passed overhead as Virgil let memory guide his steps.

Finally, he let his voice take over.

“Hey, Remy.

Hard to believe it’s already been 2 years since it happened.

I miss you. Dad misses you too, in his own way.”

Virgil found the newest grave in the forgotten cemetery, weaves of night tulips nearly covered the markings.

“Remy Sanders.

Age 17

Died 2018″

Virgil smiled a bit, the wind had taken a few of the flowers he left, but strangely it always left the night tulips.

Those were always his favorite.

“My markings are hard to hide. I know you always told me to be proud of my soultat, but that’s kind of hard when it’s only a source of ridicule.”

Virgil sat next to the grave and laid back, staring up into the deep night sky.

“Dad keeps telling me it’s a mistake.” He sighed. “Like me.”

A gust of wind was all that was heard for a moment. 

“You had the prettiest soultat I ever saw. It’s a shame it’ll never be filled. Whoever was meant to be your soulmate… I wish they had gotten to meet you at least once.”

Virgil got up and stretched. “I’m gonna get started with the upkeep. Just because everyone else forgot this graveyard existed… doesn’t mean it has to not be taken care of anymore.”

There were some things Virgil couldn’t fix.

He couldn’t fix his father, he couldn’t fix his brother, he couldn’t fix himself.

But he could fix the graveyard.

He’d replace stones where he could, rake leaves, plant things whenever he could. It was the little things he could control.

It was calming in a way.

He could escape everyone else. The people who hated him, or just tolerated him, could all be left behind.

And he could spend his time working on something that mattered.

At least, to him.

The only good company he’d ever had, was his brother. And when he left, he found company with the deceased.

The sign may say “MaidStone Graveyard”

but really, after everyone else left it for rot,

it was Virgil’s Graveyard.

…

“Hi, Rem. It’s me again.

Dad was out cold last night. He fell asleep in the recliner, so I was able to get back to my room and sleep there.

I was thinking.

What would happen to your soultat if your soulmate was dead?

Maybe that’s why I was so drawn here. Maybe destiny was trying to tell me my soulmate was buried here too.

Maybe that’s why my soultat is pitch black. No one’s is black like mine.

I think i’d be okay with that. I’ve never had good company with live people.

I know that sounds bad, but it’s true. You were the only one.

And then the crash happened.

Maybe I’m destined to only have dead friends.

Again, I think… I could live with that. It makes sense.

Maybe I could live my entire life here with you. I could work on the graveyard as like my job or something.

Or maybe I could just die.

No.

Someone has to keep all the leaves off the graves.

I’ll stick around, for your sake.

Alright, thanks for letting me talk.

Goodnight, Remy.”

…

A waning moon gazed down on the cemetery, free of life except for one.

The safest place for Virgil was in his favorite tree.

Remy had taken them here when they were just kids to plant a sapling.

Virgil now sat on one of the oak tree’s massive branches.

The safest place in the world… a place no one would think to look, especially not his father. When night fell it was nearly impossible to see anything protected within its branches. 

“How bout that, Rem? You’re protecting me even in death.” Virgil smiled and sighed, leaning his head back on the trunk.

So here he sat, gazing down upon the graveyard, his favorite place in the world.

The moonlight showed him what he needed to, he could see everything. He’d occasionally see a rabbit or possum scamper by, welcome visitors in Virgil’s eyes.

Headlights would sometimes light up the place, spooking the small critters and alerting Virgil to the presence of others.

Around 2am he saw the headlight of a familiar rusted yellow truck pass by.

Either dad was out for beer, or for him.

Either way, it was best Virgil stayed where he was.

After all, this was the safest place for him.

Being wrapped around by those entangling branches, for a small second, reminded him of when Remy would wrap him up in a big bear hug to help him get to sleep.

…

It happened.

Virgil was sat on his branch, letting the tendrils of the cold air weave their way through his hair and chill his face. 

It was peaceful.

But something happened that had never happened before.

Virgil felt part of his head kind of… tingling. The place where his soul tat was.

His dad said his soultat looked like someone smeared shit across his face. It was like a large black splotch. That was the place he felt it.

And then… there was light.

Light radiating from him.

That could only mean his soulmate was nearby.

And since it never happened before… it meant his soulmate wasn’t a spirit of the cemetery.

His soulmate was alive.

And he was near.

He was real.

Virgil froze. He stilled himself so he could scan the cemetery for movement. Still.

Still.

Cold.

Quiet.

And then, movement.

Near the gateway was a boy about his age. There was light radiating off him. He had an intricate heart design shining gold. The boy eyed the tat on his arm as he walked, clearly searching for his soulmate.

For Virgil.

And yet.

Virgil didn’t move. He remained still, as if he wanted to hide from his soulmate.

Which he kind of… did.

Would he really be willing to try a relationship? 

Would he really be willing to stop living and breathing this cemetery for this random boy?

Did he really believe this handsome boy shining gold… was meant for him? The shit-faced accident child who talked to the dead?

Virgil had resigned himself to hiding before the boy even looked up. The branches concealed his location perfectly. And after a few moments of searching, the boy left.

…

“Remy…

Did I do the right thing?”

…

He could have just missed his soulmate forever.

He could have just passed up a loving relationship… someone who actually loved him. Someone who was alive, who breathed, who was warm and moving and real.

Could he do it? 

Could he have a relationship like that?

No.

“I can’t.”

…

“I don’t know what to do.

I followed the light of my soultat. I thought for sure this was it. the tingling was so strong.

It led me to ‘Maidstone cemetery’

but no one was there. I looked, but there was no one.

What if my soulmate is dead? And my tat was leading me to their grave?

That can’t be it… That mustn’t be it. Not after all my searching. All my yearning.

I will go back tonight and leave no stone unturned!”

Roman closed his diary with a decisive huff.

The uncertainty of the living state of his soulmate ate away at him, but he was determined to find who they are!

Or… were.

He grazed his hand over his soultat. A golden heart.

Even if they were… passed. Roman would find their resting place and…

and…

Roman couldn’t think past that without tears cascading down his face.

…

Virgil returned to the cemetery again as the moon rose. He got to work sweeping leaves off graves the wind had pushed around. He always did want to help the resting places of those who had passed.

The buzzing of cicadas, the whistling of wind, the rustling of leaves, and the creaks of the gateway all funneled into a chorus of the cemetery Virgil had become accustomed to.

Virgil let himself fade into the melody. His actions lost decisiveness as his mind wandered and pranced into the wind. A wonderful opportunity he rarely had… to let his mind go and to lose awareness. It wasn’t something he let himself do often.

And when he did do it, it was always at the graveyard.

Though loud and melodious to Virgil, to the wandering one nearby it was complete silence.

Roman wandered into the graveyard and saw him.

Roman felt his breath leave him as he finally found his one.

Virgil was sat on a stone wall next to a grave. His dark hair was adrift in the wind and his one purple eye was almost glowing with a supernatural quality.

The black patch on his head began glowing a pale lavender, accentuating his features.

Virgil blinked and put a hand to his face before looking around.

His eyes fell on Roman.

And for once in the graveyard… all was quiet.

“You-” Roman started.

Virgil got to his feet, looking like he was about to run away.

“No- please! Don’t go! We’re soulmates, see?” Roman pointed at his glowing golden soultat on his arm.

Virgil blinked, still frozen in fear.

“Do you… speak English?” Roman tilted his head with the question.

Virgil snickered and smiled. “I do speak English. What’s a pretty boy like you doing in my cemetery anyway?”

“Your cemetery? Do you own it?” 

Virgil sighed. “In a way. I care for it.”

There was a pause.

“I-I’m Roman. Roman Bishop. I’m 16 years old.”

Virgil relaxed a bit. “I’m Virgil. 16.” He took a step forwards. “So we’re soulmates huh?”

“Of course.”

Virgil looked at the ground and took a breathe.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

“After avoiding you yesterday, the least I can do is buy you a coffee.” Virgil smiled and pulled out a few bills he snatched from his dad’s wallet. 

“Avoiding me? Why would you avoid your soulmate?”

“Tell ya what, I’ll answer all your questions at the Starbucks down the street. Then you can decide if you actually wanna put up with me.”

Virgil smiled but his tone at he end showed clear vulnerability.

Roman accepted and the two left.

I watched as the walked off. Though they were both awkward, their natural chemistry as soulmates began taking over.

As his brother, I was proud to see him finally opening up to other people.

And as the tree over the Maidstone cemetery, I’m proud to continue Virgil’s work watching over the place for him.

I just hope… he’ll find happiness. And I hope this Roman boy can help him find it.


End file.
